Islanders center Leo Komarov celebrates his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with teammates during second-period NHL Stanley Cup Eastern Conference playoff hockey game action in Toronto, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Credit: AP/Frank Gunn
After Leo Komarov scored what turned out to be the winning goal Saturday night in Game 3 of the Islanders’ second-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto, someone asked Islanders coach Barry Trotz about Komarov, the 33-year-old grinding forward with the birdcage facemask on his helmet.
Trotz couldn’t help breaking into a grin as he started talking about the 5-11, 209-pounder who was born in Estonia, grew up in Finland, played in the KHL, was drafted by Toronto, and signed with the Islanders as a free agent in 2018.